"Mom, we’re home!” a voice erupted from upstairs. I heard a door slam and the jumble of some things. Then a trudge on the stairs announced the arrival of Greyson’s cousins. Now, this is going to be more awkward, now that I would meet them while they’re in a state of actual consciousness.
“How was school, sweethearts?” Meredith called out as she climbed out of bed, put on her bathrobe, and went out of her room.
“What are you talking about, Mom? We just got back from Church,” the younger daughter said, giving Meredith a kiss on the cheek.
“You didn’t go to school?”
“Mom, it’s Sunday.” The older one, who was named Maddie, rolled her eyes. Her blond hair was slightly soaked wet.
“Really? Dear me, I’m losing track of time,” Meredith said. “Did you get caught in the rain?”
“A bit. Man, it’s pouring buckets down there.” Maddie looked out their window. The sky was a dark gray. And suddenly, as if she noticed me for the first time, she said, “Oh, I can see Greyson’s runaway girlfriend is still here.”
I was getting sick of that, being mistaken as this guy’s girlfriend. “I’m not.”
“I think now’s the time for proper introductions,” Greyson announced. I thought so too.
“I’m Madeline. But I insist that you call me Maddie.” She looked at me and smirked.
“I’m Phoebe. And I can tell that you don’t like me very much,” I instinctively replied, narrowing my eyes a bit.
She stifled a laugh. “It’s not that I don’t like you very much. I actually find you…amusing,” she supplied.
I opened my mouth to respond, but Meredith cut in, “What actually Maddie means is that she wants to be your friend.”
I remained silent instead, and so did Maddie. She looked away from me.
“This is Ruthie. She’s six,” Greyson said, while indicating at the little girl. Ruthie gave me a toothy grin.
“Um, Phoebe’s going to stay here for a while, so I suggest that she can use the guest room instead of sleeping at one of the rooms at the inn,” Meredith explained.
“No need, Meredith. I’ll probably leave tomorrow. I don’t wanna cause too much hassle,” I interjected.
“Nonsense. I’ll have Maddie help you settle. For now, Ruthie will sleep with her sister, Greyson will use Ruthie’s room, and you at the guest room.”
“There’s no use refusing,” Maddie said. “Come on.”
Maddie went up the stairs. I looked at Greyson. He implied with his head that I should follow his cousin, so I did.
“This is a really cool building,” I quietly said, as I followed Maddie down the stairs to the fourth floor.
Maddie stopped and turned around. “This is the fire exit. The only way to get to our house is through a fire exit,” she said disinterestedly, as if the fact that the only way to her house was through a fire exit lessened the cool-ness level of the building. But I admit I didn’t actually realize that when I first stepped foot here. I had to remind myself to keep my mouth shut. I talk too much sometimes.
“Right now, we only have three customers, excluding you, and I’m guessing they’re all out,” Maddie told me as we reached the door of my temporary room.
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Escaping Lights - A Greyson Chance Fan Fiction
Fanfiction"Lies. All lies. Everything I have ever known has dissolved." Phoebe Howell has spent most of her life trying to please her parents. She has grown up to know an environment full of luxury and ease. But suddenly, that changes. Confusi...
